


lucky.

by noct



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-10 16:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6995962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noct/pseuds/noct
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Standing up in the place where he saw him for the last time, he thought of how lucky he was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	lucky.

Cloud, standing up in the place where he saw him for the last time, he thought of how lucky he was.

At first he didn’t see this as any form of fortune or luck. What was good about seeing Zack, laying on the ground, with multiple gunshot wounds, a bloodied face and using all his strength to mutter barely three words and having to take deep breaths between each of them? But those things weren't the worst of this situation, no, the worst was that he was helpless against this. He would have given his everything for that moment to have gone differently.

All the jobs he started taking couldn't take his mind off the memories, and Cloud gave up the goal of forgetting about them, there was no point. Instead, he started remembering Zack's words, more than he already did every single day of his life. Instead, he thought about how Zack decided to use his last breath for him. Used the last shred of strength he had to pulled Cloud closer to him.

Cloud will never forget the sound of Zack's heartbeats against his ear.

_"My honor... My dreams... They're yours now..."_

Cloud took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the wound was still so fresh. He abandoned the hope of this never hurting the same as that day years ago. Sometimes he could still feel the cold raindrops falling over him.

Zack never stopped smiling, even when Cloud knew those minutes must have been the most painful ones of his life, but his smile never wavered, and decided to showed Cloud that he was fine, _which Cloud knew was a horrendous lie_ , that he was there with him, that in his last moments the most precious thing Cloud could have given Zack in that moment was his warm, his presence and the idea that he was not alone.

His honor and dreams? Cloud was absolutely sure those were the most significant things to Zack, the ones that lead him to be a better person, that lead him forward, and Cloud held and cherish those the way Zack wanted him to.

Cloud didn't see those as "demands" but rather as a vote of confidence. He knew Zack wouldn't obligate him to do something he didn't want to, but Cloud decided to follow his wishes anyway, because he wanted to make Zack proud.

_"You'll be... My living legacy."_

How could someone like Zack, the most extraordinary person he has known and had the pleasure of meeting, of spending time with him, one of the most important people in his life, entrusted something so precious to Cloud? He had no idea, but he was thankful, he felt lucky for it. 

Zack decided to entrust the Buster Sword to him, and in that moment he gripped the sword's handle. Cloud stared at it, and thought about how this sword was first of Zack's mentor, Angeal. Zack admired him, and followed him blindly. Then it went to Zack's hands, and now Cloud had the honor of merely being near it.

Another thing he felt lucky for.

Cloud let out a sigh and let his thoughts rest for a minute.

His living legacy, he had said. He felt Zack said millions of things just with that sentence, it implied so many things. Cloud spent years trying to figure out how to accomplish this wish for Zack since the mere thought of disappointing him was just not possible. It wasn't an option for Cloud.

But that was the farthest thing from the truth, because Zack could never be disappointed in him. The fact that Cloud was alive gave Zack the relief that this had a purpose, that what he did reached the expected goal which was Cloud to live. Zack might have asked those things from him, but just being alive was more than enough for Zack. It was what he had asked for.

Cloud ran a hand across his face before opening his eyes. The last thought running through his mind was the most painful one, but it had to be faced.

They were good people, and they deserved more than that.

But if was that their destiny, _Zack's destiny_ that day then there was nothing to be done but face the horrendous reality. Zack for fighting with all his strength, hoping, asking to make it out alive from there because he still had so many things to do, and Cloud, who had to literally _crawl_ from where he was laying nearly unconscious to find what reality really mean.

So Cloud, as the years started passing, took the time to see the scene differently. Bigger.

When thinking about that day, instead of seeing Zack's bloodied face, he tried to replace the memory with the image of his smile. Instead of thinking about Zack barely breathing, he replaced it with him using those to ask him his last wishes.

Instead of thinking about the fact that he was soon leaving, he replaced it with the memory of his heartbeats. The reminder that _hey, I'm here, don't think about later. Think about now and the fact that I'm here with you._

That sounded exactly like something Zack would have said, he just didn't have the opportunity to, which was just so unfair.

The moment Zack left, he took a part of Cloud with him. That was much true, but Cloud also received something. He received the Buster Sword, his dreams and honor, his smile and the sound of his heartbeats, even if it was for mere seconds.

Those were reminders that he was with Zack in his final moments, and those were things he will treasure forever. Those were the last gifts Zack gave him, and he felt very lucky he was the one who got them.

"Thanks, Zack. I finally realized you gave me those things because you chose to, even though I don't think I deserved them, I actually still do, but you were always the stubborn one." At this he let out a quiet chuckle. "Truly, thank you." Cloud whispered before looking at that specific area on the ground. Kneeling down, he ran a hand across it and showed a smile he knew Zack was watching. Standing up, he left the area with a clean heart and soul.

**Author's Note:**

> Saw a quote on Tumblr and reminded me of them and decided to make this. I'm very happy with it.


End file.
